1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to compacting presses and specifically to compacting presses for compacting materials in different shaped containers.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Conventional compacting presses have dedicated tooling, i.e., the mold in which the material is compacted comprises a part of the press itself and is sized and shaped to receive a container. The container, often called an "innerpack", contains the material to be compacted and becomes an integral part of the compacted material or "slug". Such systems are relatively common when disposing of hazardous waste material such as low-level radio-active material, etc. The innerpack system permits a minimal contamination of the press and its surroundings and at the same time insures mechanical integrity of the slug.
Becuase of the dedicated tooling, a given press can handle only one size or shape innerpack at a time. In many instances it is not even possible to change the mold (that portion which defines the outer perimeter of the compacted slug) in order to adapt to a larger or smaller innerpack. Those pressses in which it is possible to change the mold, require disassembly and reassembly of the press to substitute the replacement mold and its associated ram. In the case of a heavy press with possibly contaminated components, this task can be very extensive and expensive when it is necessary to insure a clean environment and protect workers involved in the process.